Sweet and Scary Must-Try Halloween Treats

Halloween is a holiday that is all about having fun. You can go all-out with scary decorations, glowing pumpkins and lavish costumes. You can have just as much fun with your baked goods this time of year, as well. It’s a chance to be creative and try things that you probably wouldn’t do for one of the more “serious” holidays! Here are some of my must-try Halloween treats, from foodie jack o’lanterns to blood-oozing baked goods.

Pumpkins

The easiest way to carve a pumpkin is to put a simple face on it, but it doesn’t take much more work to give your pumpkin even more life. These Foodie Jack o’Lantern ideas include a skeleton chef and a vampire with a sweet tooth. The carving ideas include some helpful carving tips that will make your work go smoothly, too.

Baked Goodies

Pumpkin Pie Rice Krispy Treats are a Halloween treat that anyone can enjoy, but is perfect for kids to make. The treats use a special edition pumpkin marshmallow that is available around Halloween. The recipe can be done in the microwave, with an easy technique that anyone can follow.

Halloween Oreo Cheesecakes use limited edition Oreo cookies to infuse some Halloween color into single-serving cheesecakes. You can use the black and orange Oreos, or even the limited edition Candy Corn Oreos, if you can still find them!

Candy Corn Cupcakes are inspired by the ever-popular orange, yellow and white fondant candies. The candies may not be for everyone, but these colorful cupcakes are vanilla-flavored and are always a crowd pleaser.

If you go for scary monsters, then the Slime-Filled Cupcakes from the Black Lagoon may be right up your alley. They ooze a bright green lime curd slime for a very creepy – but delicious – effect. Monster Cookiescombine several cookie doughs in one to make giant monster eyes. Dirt Cupcakes are messy to make, but look amazing on a plate, and will definitely please zombie fans.

If vampires are your favorite Halloween monster, you’ll want to try your hand at making a batch of Vampire Cookies or Vampire Cupcakes. Both recipes ooze red “blood” and will tempt any vampire – large or small – and are very impressive at a Halloween party. Check out the video link below for how-to demo of the vampire cupcakes!

This Spiderweb Pumpkin Tart is a delicious dessert for pumpkin-lovers and, although it is perfect for the holiday, it is a little more sophisticated than some other Halloween desserts. The spiderweb design is very creepy, especially if you garnish this tart with a little spider before serving it to guests.

Last, but not least, are Gingerbread Skeletons. These cut-out cookies give a new use to the gingerbread cookie cutters that you only use around Christmas because the gingerbread men are decorated with skulls and bones, instead of Santa suits. They’re actually very cute and the decorating process is easy to do. You can also use other flavors of cookie dough, such as chocolate or vanilla, that you would use for other cut-out cookies.

Videos

This Vampire Cupcake demo will ensure that your cupcakes look just as scary as mine, if you decide to try your hand at making vampire cupcakes this weekend. The same technique can be used on the Slime-Filled Cupcakes, as well. They’re easier to make than you might think!

If you’re trying your hand at the Spiderweb Pumpkin Tart, there is a video demo that shows you how to make this stunning design. The technique also works with glazes and ganache, and can be used when topping a cake or other dessert.